CHICAGO, IL, USA—If you're looking for reliable data on current and future economic performance trends specific to the converting industry, look no further. PFFC's Economic Monitor provides this information quarterly—including data on subjects like converter revenue, profitability, work on-hand, raw material costs, capital investment, economic conditions, and more. The report is based solely on the responses of converters that have agreed to become members of our economic panel.

Panel members—categorized into market segments for comparability purposes—complete a quarterly survey and are compensated by being the first to receive a quarterly report that includes results of the data we've collected and analyzed. A third-party organization collects this data to protect confidential information.

Here's just a sampling of some of the valuable information we're gathering with just the first survey:

Fast Facts from PFFC's Quarterly Economic Montior

In measuring total company revenue in 2003 versus 2002, 41% of respondents said revenue increased in 2003 while 38% reported a year-over-year decrease, with the balance reporting no change. Flexible packaging converters and paperboard packaging converters were split evenly, with about half up over 2002 and half with revenue below 2002. Converters in the tapes, labels & tags category reported 46% exceeding 2002 revenue, with 27% below 2002 and the balance about the same.*

When measuring pre-tax profitability, 45% of total respondents said their pretax profits decreased in 2003 versus 2002, with 39% reporting an increase and the balance about the same. Over 56% of flexible packaging firms responding to the survey reported profits down or about the same in 2003 versus 2002.*

An impressive 68% of all firms saw their order backlog increase in the last quarter of 2003 (backlog defined as orders that will be produced in the next 3 months). Flexible packaging converters led all four categories with 81.3% reporting an increase in backlog.*

*Data taken from PFFC's Quarterly Economic Monitor Report, which is a regular survey of panelists in the Flexible Packaging, Paperboard Packaging, Tapes, Labels & Tags and Unprinted Rolls and Sheets categories.

A subscription to receive these quarterly industry performance reports can be purchased for $99; contact Cheryl Mangano at 312/840-8477 or at cmangano@primediabusiness.com, to subscribe to PFFC's Economic Monitor or for more information.